Pyramids & Al Ahly crash out of Champions League
by Kickoff Reporter · KickOffAl Ahly SC 2-3 Esperance (2-4 agg)
Al Ahly SC were knocked out of the CAF Champions League after a 3-2 loss against Esperance in the quarter-finals second-leg at the Cairo International Stadium on Saturday evening.
Trailing from the first-leg, Ahly made the ideal start when Mahmoud Trezeguet banged in the opener after ten minutes, but Florian Danho got the visitors level midway in the second half to give them the lead in the overall tie.
Al Ahly’s plight became worse as Mohamed Tougai lined-up to the penalty circle and tucked in to put the four-time champions in front on the night.
The Cairo Red Devils stayed calm though and got level with six minutes to go through Marwan Osman. b
However, the night belonged to the Tunisian giants who bagged the winner at the death through a well-taken header by Hamza Jelassi.
Pyramids FC 1-2 ASFAR (2-3 agg.)
Reigning champions Pyramids FC were knocked out of the tournament 2-1 by ASFAR and 3-2 across two-legs at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
There was a lot riding for last season’s champions who banked on key striker and talisman Fiston Mayele to get over the line.
Having drawn the first-leg last weekend in Rabat, the Botola outfit hit the ground running with the opening strike after eight minute by Reda Slim.
Pyramids pushed tirelessly for the equaliser right thereafter and reduced the visitors to a string of last-ditch clearances well off the goal-line.
It didn’t prevent the visitors from gaining further ground on proceedings and at that extended the lead five minutes after halftime through a downward header in the six-yard box by Fallou Mendy.
Pyramids didn’t lose confidence, and went all out to engineer a route back but they failed to penetrate the resolute defence of their Moroccan charges.
There was a glimmer of hope for the home team when Mayele bundled in from a corner in the closing quarter to set up a tense final minutes.
Nonetheless, ASFAR showed a nerve of steel to seal the victory and a spot in the semi-finals.